Asymptomatic peritoneal tuberculosis in a patient with a non-remitting fever and isolated pulmonary symptoms: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the leading causes of death globally. Although abdominal or peritoneal TB is a recognised site for extrapulmonary TB to manifest, the diagnosis is often delayed due to the non-specific nature of the presenting clinical features. We present the diagnostically challenging case of a 32-year-old patient with recurrent episodes of fever and a non-productive cough that was initially treated as community-acquired pneumonia with oral antibiotics. A computed tomography scan of the thorax was unrevealing, aside from a large volume of ascites within the partially imaged upper abdomen. The patient did not report any abdominal symptoms and the abdominal examination was unremarkable. Subsequently, a transvaginal ultrasound, a contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis, and magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen and pelvis confirmed a large volume of ascites in the absence of any definite aetiology. A peritoneal biopsy was required before the diagnosis of peritoneal TB was eventually confirmed. This case highlights the importance of considering peritoneal TB in patients presenting with treatment-resistant chest symptoms and persistent pyrexia of undetermined aetiology, even in the absence of abdominal signs and symptoms.

Keywords

• Tuberculosis
• Ascites
• Peritonitis
• Infectious diseases
• Tropical Medicine